Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-07-12
A BIG DAY AT cERuLEAN.
Speeches by Senator Beck, Con-
gresham Stone and Capt. 9.
T. Allen.

- Alltu,
Probably 1900 people attended the
Democratic speaking and barbecue al
Cerulean Springs Saturday, large
proportion of whom were ladies
The day was delightfully."- pleasant
one, with the exception of little
too high temperature about mid.
day. Senator Beck arrived via
Princeton about 10 o'clock, somewhat
under the weather by reason of hav-
ing broken rib by a fall a day OF
two before. The speaking began at
l 80 p. m, in the Hotel yard, the
speakers standing OH the east end OF
the lower veranda. Judge Robt.
Crenshaw introduced
CAPT. W. j. STONE,
who spoke for an hour about State
matters. He referred to the two
State tickets and said the Democratic
ticket was good and a strong one,
made up of capable, honest aud eflici-
ent men. The Republicans had rails
good deal of noise because there
were Ex- Confederates on the ticket
and yet they had made up ticket of
their own without giving the badly
treated Federal soldier single place.
Not man on their ticket had ever
been in sight ola battlefield or close
enough to IA fight to smell gunpowder.
lie then effectively answered Col.
Brsdley's charges against the Demo-
cratic party, which have been so often
exploded by the party press and
speakers that we will not occupy space
with them again. Bradley had been
driven from the stump by Joe Black
burn In 1888 when he attempted to
prefer false charges against the DEM
ocratic Administration and this year
he was engaged in the same business.
The Democrats after 20 years Of rule
challenge comparison with other
states. They found debt of over two
millions and have paid it all except
$674,00 They have increased no tax
rate excepting the school tax, which
has been increased from 8 cents In
1867 10 221S cents now and negroes
and whites are given the same pro
rata of the school fund thus raised
besides this $4,000 has been raised
by the counties for school purposes,
under a state law passed, only $685.
900 of which was raised by taxation
in Republican counties aud only $500
in Bradley's own county. The school
system of Kentucky compares favor
ably with that of any other state.
Since 1867 the Democratic party has
paid 81 ,300,000 for permanent stat emil
provements, besides paying the pub
lie debt. 1t has solved the convict
question by building the branch pen
itentiary at Eddyville. The peniten-
tiary bill was introduced in 1882
by Capt. Allen, of Caldwell,
but Mr.. Feland, of Christian,
a Republican leader, offered bill TO
work the convicts out of the peniten-
tiary. Senator Pratt, Of Hopkins, en-
dorsed this and ii out Of Is Republic
publicans voted for the Feland bill
which passed. In 1884 the peniten-
tiary bill was passed aud the build
ing is now nearly done. There were
400 convicts in '67 and there are now
1900, 90 per cent of them negroes.
Until their emancipation negroes
were not sent to prison and the old
building with 600 cells was consider
ed large enough for many years. The
penitentiary had to be enlarged to ac-
commodate these Republican crimi-
nails, the insane ssylums enlarged for
Republican lunatics and nine new
Judicial Districts aud a Superior
Court created To punish Republican
violators of the law. In spite of all
these heavy expenses the Democratic
party has paid the State debt aud
managed the States affairs with tho
greatest sagacily, prudence and econ
omy. The speaker referred In touch
ing terms to Gen. Buckner's nobility
of character aud soul and his heroism
in battle and in closing discussed ma
tional affairs briefly, particularly
the Tramp Pension Bill. The Fed
eral soldiers went home to the
music OF drums and with flying
banners and were Toasted and
banquetted on the fat of the land.
Special laws giving them preference
in official positions were passed and
they were given easy jobs all over
the country and the Government is
to-day paying them $83,0OO,000 an
nually In pensions. And yet there
some are of them who instead, of
working for a living, are pleading the
beggar act and only the courage and
patriotism of a Democratic President
prevented a wholesale raid on the
Treasury by the relatives of class of
trifling fellows who ran off and went
into the army to avoid work, perhaps
never went into fight, and went
home and after serving a term in
some penitentiary, or living off of
their relatives died and their kin
folks were glad of it. The govern
ment was asked TO support the fami-
lies of these fellows and also to main
tain a lot of the same class them
selves in idlenesS, but Mr.. Cleve-
land vetoed the bill and saved mill
lions of dollars to the people. How
was IL with the Southern soldier. He
went homo and found his house
burned, his lands over-rnn, his coun-
try a ruined and desolated waste. He